Dangerous Driving or Careless Driving?
Discussion
Evening chaps,
We've been having a debate among us over the last couple of days and thought it might be interesting to open it out to the PH Brethren!
A common scenario, and one which I can certainly relate to, involves driving behind a long line of slow-moving cars, perhaps following a horse box or something similar, where the first car in the queue apparently doesn't want to overtake, perhaps being there to shield the slowcoach in front.
So the road opens up, nice straight ahead and you go for it....you pass one car, two cars..., three cars....oh what the hell, you can do another one too.....only to realise that this was perhaps one too many, as indicated by the whites of the eyes of the oncoming driver!
An error of judgment is made, rather than a premeditated attempt to drive in a manner that would be likely to endanger lives or property.
Is this dangerous driving or is it careless driving?
Could it be either of these, depending on the interpretation of others?
Could it in fact be neither of these??
We're not sure!!!
Jazzer
We've been having a debate among us over the last couple of days and thought it might be interesting to open it out to the PH Brethren!
A common scenario, and one which I can certainly relate to, involves driving behind a long line of slow-moving cars, perhaps following a horse box or something similar, where the first car in the queue apparently doesn't want to overtake, perhaps being there to shield the slowcoach in front.
So the road opens up, nice straight ahead and you go for it....you pass one car, two cars..., three cars....oh what the hell, you can do another one too.....only to realise that this was perhaps one too many, as indicated by the whites of the eyes of the oncoming driver!
An error of judgment is made, rather than a premeditated attempt to drive in a manner that would be likely to endanger lives or property.
Is this dangerous driving or is it careless driving?
Could it be either of these, depending on the interpretation of others?
Could it in fact be neither of these??
We're not sure!!!
Jazzer
Edited by Jazzer on Monday 22 December 18:34
No other circumstances.....and I've not been a naughty boy!
One of us is a traffic plod and thinks it's not necessarily either offence.....would depend on circumstances, with a telling off being sufficient if they believe an honest error has been made.
Interesting one though, certainly gets people talking!
One of us is a traffic plod and thinks it's not necessarily either offence.....would depend on circumstances, with a telling off being sufficient if they believe an honest error has been made.
Interesting one though, certainly gets people talking!
This is a very good point. A lot of people have never driven anything fast, judging all situations as if dealing with people driving the likes of a Honda Jazz, meaning that they construe perfectly safe manoeuvres as dangerous. Some even flash when overtaken because the noise gives them a fright....maybe it wakes them up from their 40 mph stupor!
Why do you keep referring to "You"?
I understand what you are saying, but don't think any of us need adjust perfectly safe and legal driving practices to appease people who often have no clue what they're doing and who in fact cause countless accidents and fatalities up and down the country.
The horse box convoy crew is a case in point, with vehicles behind the lead vehicle driving in such a way as to slow down and frustrate legal drivers behind them, goading them into long overtake manoeuvres to get by and move on safely.
As for me, I give these fools a wide bearth and completely ignore their ignorant flashes.
Driver training for these idiots, especially in the business of considerate driving, is what's really required.
I understand what you are saying, but don't think any of us need adjust perfectly safe and legal driving practices to appease people who often have no clue what they're doing and who in fact cause countless accidents and fatalities up and down the country.
The horse box convoy crew is a case in point, with vehicles behind the lead vehicle driving in such a way as to slow down and frustrate legal drivers behind them, goading them into long overtake manoeuvres to get by and move on safely.
As for me, I give these fools a wide bearth and completely ignore their ignorant flashes.
Driver training for these idiots, especially in the business of considerate driving, is what's really required.
You miss my point about "You", either that or you're perverse.
The Law is the Law.
Interpretation of The Law can be subjective, that's why we have Judges and Magistrates to moderate and inform decision making.
Most people would agree on what constitutes dangerous driving.
The idiots who in essence think you can only safely overtake on a runway with no oncoming jets are in the minority thankfully.
The Law is the Law.
Interpretation of The Law can be subjective, that's why we have Judges and Magistrates to moderate and inform decision making.
Most people would agree on what constitutes dangerous driving.
The idiots who in essence think you can only safely overtake on a runway with no oncoming jets are in the minority thankfully.
Ah, so you are perverse then!
Is there something going wrong at your end, are you bored already with your holiday?
I'm off jogging now, but will take a horn with me to warn slower joggers of my imminent overtaking manoeuvre....wouldn't want to frighten them or be at the mercy of their litigious raptures.
Exercise is good for the mind, endorphins and all that.
You should try it, get you away from trolling for a few minutes.
Is there something going wrong at your end, are you bored already with your holiday?
I'm off jogging now, but will take a horn with me to warn slower joggers of my imminent overtaking manoeuvre....wouldn't want to frighten them or be at the mercy of their litigious raptures.
Exercise is good for the mind, endorphins and all that.
You should try it, get you away from trolling for a few minutes.
Mave said:
Jazzer said:
The idiots who in essence think you can only safely overtake on a runway with no oncoming jets are in the minority thankfully.
As are, thankfully, those who think it's ok to say "what the hell, time for one more" whilst overtaking into oncoming traffic, and think that it can't be dangerous if there wasn't an accident.I've never met anyone with that view.
You should perhaps read more carefully the original post, rather than trying to read into a scenario and then putting two and two together, making five, telling me what I think or believe.
A very sobering read indeed, but I'm not sure how it relates to the original post.
I'm not advocating wild or dangerous driving and don't know anyone who does.
This is perhaps evidenced by my clean licence and my non-accident driving history of 31 years.
I will state again: this post posed an interesting question about a fairly common scenario that I think most drivers have witnessed/been involved in/ can relate to.
Some of you seem to be adding your own spin to it, forming wrong conclusions.
This is the PH way I guess, so we'd best stop here.
I'm not advocating wild or dangerous driving and don't know anyone who does.
This is perhaps evidenced by my clean licence and my non-accident driving history of 31 years.
I will state again: this post posed an interesting question about a fairly common scenario that I think most drivers have witnessed/been involved in/ can relate to.
Some of you seem to be adding your own spin to it, forming wrong conclusions.
This is the PH way I guess, so we'd best stop here.
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